AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE WITH AUTOMATIC WINDOW SHADE

• US 20150261219A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Cuddihy, Mark A., Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Rao, Manoharprasad K., Waldis, Andrew, Trombley, Roger Arnold, Rupp, Matthew Y., Yopp, Wilford Trent
• Granted Patent: US 10,059,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/2016 Control means for actuating the roller blind, e.g. using electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency

Abstract

A vehicle includes at least one autonomous driving sensor and an autonomous mode controller configured to receive signals generated by the autonomous driving sensor. The autonomous mode controller controls at least one vehicle subsystem based at least in part on the signals received. Furthermore, the autonomous mode controller is configured to shade at least one vehicle window when the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

at least one autonomous driving sensor;

an autonomous mode controller configured to receive signals generated by the autonomous driving sensor and control at least one vehicle subsystem based at least in part on the signals received;

wherein the autonomous mode controller is configured to shade at least one vehicle window when the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the autonomous mode controller is configured to at least one of lower and raise a shade when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and raise the shade prior to operating in a non-autonomous mode.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein shading the at least one vehicle window includes covering at least one of a vehicle windshield and a rear window with a shade.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein shading the at least one vehicle window includes covering at least one of a driver-side window and a passenger-side window.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein shading the at least one vehicle window includes selectively tinting the at least one vehicle window.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a light sensor, wherein the autonomous mode controller is configured to shade the at least one vehicle window when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and in response to a signal generated by the light sensor.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a user interface device configured to receive a user input, and wherein the shading of the at least one vehicle window is controlled in accordance with the user input.

8. A vehicle system comprising:

an autonomous mode controller configured to control at least one vehicle subsystem while operating in an autonomous mode;

at least one window;

wherein the autonomous mode controller is configured to selectively shade the at least one window when the vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode.

9. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the autonomous mode controller is configured to at least one of lower and raise a shade when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and raise the shade prior to operating in a non-autonomous mode.

10. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein selectively shading the at least one window includes covering at least one of a vehicle windshield and a rear window.

11. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein selectively shading the at least one window includes covering at least one of a driver-side window and a passenger-side window.

12. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein selectively shading the at least one window includes selectively tinting the at least one window.

13. The vehicle system of claim 8, further comprising a light sensor, wherein the autonomous mode controller is configured to selectively shade the at least one window when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and in response to a signal generated by the light sensor.

14. The vehicle system of claim 8, further comprising a user interface device configured to receive a user input, and wherein shading the at least one window is controlled in accordance with the user input.

15. A method comprising:

determining whether a vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode;

receiving a light signal representing an amount of ambient light outside the vehicle; and

selectively shading a vehicle window based on at least one of whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and the amount of ambient light outside the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising unshading the window based on at least one of whether the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and the amount of ambient light outside the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein selectively shading the vehicle window includes:

lowering or raising a shade when the vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode; and

raising the shade prior to the vehicle operating in a non-autonomous mode.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the shade is configured to cover at least one of a vehicle windshield, at least one driver-side window, at least one passenger-side window, and a rear window.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a user input;

wherein selectively shading the window based at least in part on the user input received.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein selectively shading the at least one window includes selectively tinting the at least one window.